dancing horses

dancing horses

Friday, June 29, 2018

The Not-Obvious Gifts for Horse People


I think that Ed is beginning to believe that horse people are weird.

Or maybe he just thinks that I'm weird.

I'm not talking about the gifts that seem logical- like saddle pads, brushes or gift cards for tack stores. I'm taking about the ones that seem to be less exciting to non-horse people.

Over the years I have asked for some gifts that at first glance may seem a bit 'odd'. I know this because when I share it with others they get this look that says 'and you were happy to receive that?'

For example, this is the best ring I ever received (and no I don't view my wedding ring as the best one because the best gift from that Ceremony was Ed and our lives together not the symbol).  Ed and I installed the footing ourselves. He put the fence (with help from a friend) and painted it because I was going to be backing a young horse and wanted a barrier.

 put a ring on it.
A few years ago, shortly after we moved to the farm Ed asked me what I wanted for my birthday (he doesn't like to guess, it stresses him out). Without hesitation I said 'a tool box and my own tools. Including a power drill and attachments'.  He looked at me for a few minutes and then said 'is this a trap?'  Nope, it wasn't. I was thrilled with my tools and love doing small repairs around without bothering him to do it. He used to look worried watching me go and would ask if I needed help. Now he doesn't - he knows I will ask if I'm unsure (but I'm sure he checks out what I've done after). 

Other gifts that have excited me include: 

  • Jump standards and poles
  • A retractable hose (I'm terrible at winding up hoses without tangling them beyond hope)
Add caption

  • Letters and a mounting block for my ring: 
love letters 

it's been perfect
I would have said that Ed has gotten used to weird requests but I surprised him yesterday. He came home from work and had a lot of stuff in the car. I was helping and reached for a box. 
'that's heavy' he said
'what's in it?'
'pylons'
' you bought pylons for me?!'
'yes. I bought you pylons'
'oooh THANK YOU! How did you know? I don't remember telling you.'

*silence*

I turned and looked at Ed who was staring at me with a quizzical look on his face. 
'You honestly thought I bought you pylons? And you were excited?Those are for the fire department' (Ed is chief of our local volunteer fire department). 

My face fell. 'Oh. Right. I totally missed the sarcasm.'

I then brightened up 'if you bought new pylons for the deparment that does that mean you have old pylons?'

He sighed. 'If you want pylons I will get you pylons.'

Notice that he didn't even ask why. 

What about you? Have you asked for/received any gifts that might seem to be unusual? 
'



27 comments:

  1. Hahaha this is kind of the story of my life. I can't even begin to count the number of "weird" gifts I've convinced DH to buy for me to use around the barn. Although I'm with you, my riding arena is the best "ring" I've ever gotten! ;)

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  2. I'm always requesting weird gifts. My and Jason's first Christmas I got him a spice rack and he got me a corded drill. For my birthday this year I asked my grandma for a few simple tools for the horse trailer, a bungee cord and a step stool for getting in and out of the nose of the trailer. They just roll their eyes at me at this point. ;)

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    1. I love that we don't buy into the idea that gifts have to follow a certain rule

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  3. haha - us horse people have similar taste in gifts! My favourite was a heavy gas powered trimmer to do the fencelines. It was my 15th anniversary present. Everyone at his work thought he was crazy to buy it and not jewellry. LOL

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  4. 😂 Oh yes, I totally get it. My shed was a bit of a surprise to him. I’d already seen what you could do with them to convert them into nice tack rooms. My husband didn’t have the same vision until I showed him my trainer’s. Like you, I’m a bit of a pack rat, carting junk out to my arena—tires, tarps, wood, cones. My favorite recent purchase for out there is my portable, waterproof Bluetooth speaker. He was surprised at first, but he saw its value to me pretty quick. Makes my riding and cleaning stalls time fun.

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    1. Ed bought me a waterproof blue tooth speaker too. I've been meaning to try it in the ring to see how far the sound carries.

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  5. Definitely power tools. A wheelbarrow? I usually have to buy my own things, since no one has given me a ring yet.

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    1. That's nice too though- you can by what you want.

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  6. The heart wants what the heart wants.

    ?? Is a pylon a cone?

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    1. Yes, a cone. Sorry. I grew up with that name for it and never think that it's not universal.

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  7. I asked for a big flat shovel one year for my birthday. I was thrilled when it showed up. I can only dream of getting pylons! :-)

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  8. Hahahaha ohhhh yes, I am definitely the same way. I was so excited to upgrade to my big two wheeled wheelbarrow years ago. Two summers ago I got a few loads of gravel to make an area to park my trailer and was beside myself with happiness hahaha.

    Tell me about how you did your ring footing, please? Or maybe you did a post about it and can direct me to that? I love how it looks as though you have rubber mixed in? I am saving for my real riding ring!

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  9. Oh yeah, I’ve gotten tool boxes,drills,saws,a power washer but my favorite was a great drag for the arena. There’s a lot of eye rolling from non horse people but...it’s what I want or need😊

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  10. My best birthday gift recently was a battery powered reciprocating saw.(!!!)

    It's cut holes for vents in the hay sheds, opened up a stall window in Val's barn, broken down all of the fallen wood and branches from hurricanes... It handles all but the largest chainsaw work much more safely + does sawzall jobs too. Most useful present ever! :D

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    1. oooh a reciprocating saw. I bet that it's awesome

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  11. Omg lol.... that’s classic! And yes I’ve totally been there with the gift requests that shock and surprise my family... like the amazon gift card that transformed (with much fanfare and excitement!) into a muck cart haha, despite the gift givers disbelief....

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    1. muck carts are the best. I got a new one last year.

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  12. I love it. I always ask for horsey stuff for presents. And I frequently buy my husband saddle pads for gifts as he will refuse to admit to wanting them since he mocks me for owning so many, but he loves the ones he has.

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    1. YOu can never have too many saddle pads. NEVER>

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